SELF ORIENTATION IN A NEW JOB

In an interview process, Angie was asked a question that she has never been asked in many of the interviews she has attended before.

"If we offered you the opportunity, and gave you a chance to decide your priorities in our orientation exercise, what are the first five questions you would ask the person in charge of your orientation?"

Perhaps this is one question that she was not ready for and most likely her performance was dismal at this .it is reasonable under very competitive circumstances for employers to expect that new recruits pick out reasonably fast in their service delivery. At any cost the investment in new staff training and orientation should be minimal and where possible the new staff should gather the necessary information while undertaking the assignments. This is perhaps many employers in advertising for jobs tend to place emphasis on the fact that the appropriate candidate has to have good knowledge of their sector. In very structured set ups, the employer would even expect the new staff to be able to navigate their own learning process – identify the required knowledge for effective performance of their responsibilities.

Managerial position should prioritize on aspects like strategic orientation (mission, vision, and values), structural design and core processes. Specialized marketers would also prioritize on aspects like strategic orientation (mission, vision, and values), product competitive edge, market segmentation, market share and current performance. Operations management candidates may need to explore issues like capacities, lead times, unit costs, resource allocation etc.

Other than identifying what information is priority in ones area, it is important also to be able to figure out (may be not in technical detail) the kind of briefing or training that one requires to get a grasp of all this priorities and the possible sources of the information.

This is not only part of knowing oneself but also how ones personal drive fits within the prospect employer's business operational pace.

To your advantage the ability to navigate ones own orientation may be resourceful, especially in hostile situations. Ever encountered a new supervisor who does not want to freely train you? Or a work group in your new employment in which everybody seems to want to isolate you? Or perhaps a new job in which you seem to be sabotaged?

If it does not seem to come your way ordinarily, acquire it tactfully.